Improvement in clothes-pins



H. L. CLARK & A. B. SMITH.

Clothes-Pin.

No. 202,704. Patented April 23, 1878.

WITNESSES gfliz ATTORNEYS.

MPETERS, PHOTO-LITHOGRAPMER, WASHINGTON. D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY L. CLARK AND AUGUSTUS B. SMITH, OF CHESTER, NEW YORK.

IM PROVEM ENT IN CLOTH ES-PINS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 202,704, dated April23, 1878; application filed February 19, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, HENRY L. CLARK and AUGUSTUS B. SMITH, of Chester,in the county of Orange and State of New York, have invented a new andImproved Clothes-Pin, of which the following is a specification:

Figure 1 is a front elevation. Fig. 2 is a side elevation. Fig. 3 is aplan view.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The object of our invention is to provide a clothes pin or clamp thatwill securely hold the clothes upon the line.

Referring to the drawing, A is a straight shank, having upon one end athumb-piece, B, and upon the other end a hook, O, which terminates in aball, a. Upon the shank A an apertured follower, D, is placed, theaperture being of sufficient size to admit of moving the follower freelyon the shank. Two fingers, b, project from the edge of the follower onthe hook side of the shank, and are curved toward the hook G, andprovided with ball ends 0. The follower is indented at d cl, to receivethe ends of the fingers of the person using the pin. A spiral spring, e,is placed on the shank A, and between the thumb-piece B and the followerD, and presses the follower toward the hook C. There is a stop-lug, f,at the back of the hook G, to limit the motion of the follower D.

The device is used by placing two fingers on the follower D and thethumb on the thumb-piece B, and drawing the follower and thumb-piecetogether, thus separating the fingers b from the hook G. The hook isthen placed over the clothes on the line, when the follower is releasedand is moved forward by the spring 0 against the clothes. The followerclamps the shank A, so that no amount of pressure exerted on the ends ofthe fingers can retract it.

I am aware that it is not broadly new to make a clothes-pin by combininga hook and spring with the stock; but

What I claim is The combination, with the straight-shanked book A 0,having thumb-piece B and stop f, with the spiral spring 0 and followerD, having the two ball-ended fingers c b, as shown and described.

HENRY L. CLARK. AUGUSTUS B. SMITH. Witnesses:

JOHN T. J oHNsoN, HENRY MASTERSON.

